Wednesday, January 25, 2012

It's Not About Being Perfect, Just Better

There was a cooking show on a while back where one lady made a "regular" dish, and the other lady made a lightened up version of the same dish. I wish I could remember the name of the show, but I don't guess that's important. What stuck with me from the show was their view. They would often say, "It's not about being perfect, just better."

So often when I try to lose weight (which I've done often and for years and years) I give up after I fall. My last blog entry was about getting back up when you fall. This goes right along with it. So many times I've messed up, and I've let that one mess up completely throw me off. Maybe it was one meal that I completely lost all willpower and ate what I know I shouldn't have. Or maybe it was drinking a regular Coke when I should have had diet... or even better - water!

Whatever it is that I did that I viewed as a "mess up" would usually lead to the "well, I've already blown it for today, so I might has well eat/drink this, too" mentality. Or my favorite... "I'll get back on track tomorrow." I bet I'm not the only one who says that. I know I can't be the only one who says that. If I were, there wouldn't be so many people who are always on a diet - maybe the same diet over and over again or maybe bouncing around from one diet to the next. I've done both of these. How many times have I joined Weight Watchers or tried a variety of the popular diets out there? Way too many to be proud of. And yet, here I am right where I've always been. Obese and miserable. It seems tomorrow rarely ever came when it came to getting back on track.

Yesterday as I was checking out of the grocery store, not really thinking I picked up a 20oz Coke. I was halfway through the Coke when I realized I was laying off all sodas, regular and diet. My first thought was "I've already had half, might as well have the rest." And I did. In that past, that would have been my undoing. It would have been weeks before I "started over."

After the Coke, I got to thinking. How much regular soda had I been consuming in a day - just a few days before? I can guarantee it was more than 20oz. So I had a slip. It happens. Life isn't perfect. Weight loss isn't perfect. It's not all or nothing. There will be good days and not-so-good days. What's important is that I learn from those slips. What I learned was that the slips happen, but I can't let an "ooops" define me. I'm too special to be defined by my mistakes.

So how did my night end? Did I fall back into my "well I blew it today, I'll start over tomorrow" routine? I'm proud to say I did not. So, I had a Coke. I also had a delicious dinner of homemade chicken tacos, Caesar salad, and rice. (The rice wasn't that good - I tossed the leftovers. It was one of those Mexican rice bagged things. Yeah. Not a fan.) I didn't snack on junk food that night. When I got hungry later on, rather than looking for junk I ate the leftover salad.

I can't strive for perfection. I'll never reach it, and I'll only end up disappointed. But each day I can strive to be better. Sometimes I'll blow it. That OK... so long as in the long run I'm better!